THE Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) presented Tuesday P6 million worth of high-powered firearms seized from a suspected leader of a gun running group who is allegedly the supplier of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) as well as war lords in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) including politicians.
Together with PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa, CIDG director Roel Obusan showed the cache of M203 grenade launchers, M14, M16 and thousand of ammunition recovered from the residence Unding Kenneth Isa in Barangay West Crame, San Juan City on Saturday.
Arrested along with Isa were Hja Risdimona Isa, Aljamer Akarab Mandih and Hurbin Alhi Sahibul who were released later on for lack of evidence against them.
Obusan said the three were reportedly just visiting Isa in his house.
He said the search came after the ATCU received an information last August that there are ASG members in Manila tasked by their commander to buy high-powered firearms such as M203, M14, explosive components and ammunition.
"Allegedly, the ASG is now strengthening their armaments to fight head on with government forces in Sulu and Basilan, and to intensify their kidnapping and bombing operations," said Obusan.
However, he said the conduct of investigation is on-going to confirm the link of the said gun running group to the ASG as the arrested suspect refused to speak, fearing for the lives of his family living in Indanan, Sulu.
“Noong undergoing siya (Isa) ng tactical interrogation, talagang buo ang loob (dahil) ayaw niya masalita talaga. We do it technically. We do not do it brutally. Ongoing ang investigation and we will follow up leads kung sino-sino yung nabigyan,” said Obusan.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said the ammunitions were traced back to the government arsenal while the other contrabands seized are still being traced back.
"Accordingly, they're using a private vehicle via RoRo. We suspect na meron talaga silang contact from the government arsenal dahil paano nakakalabas itong mga bala kung wala silang contact," he said. (Sunnex)
